Rubicon worth the extra money?

[jodomcfrodo]

Not at all, the newest a TJ could be is 11 years old correct? I hear they bring in the low to mid $20s out there, aint no southern redneck gonna give that for a 11 year old Jeep even if its a LJ Rubi. I shit you not!

Just because someone isn't a southern redneck doesn't mean they are mall crawlers lol. Thats the beauty of Jeeps, there is one for everyone. A southern redneck might be out romping in the mud in a cheap TJ while a lawyer from LA could be out in Moab with a high dollar LJR.

 

[06lj]

I'm digging the dialog on this thread, as I have been toying with the idea of picking up an LJ for my wife to daily drive. She currently drives a '96 2-door XJ, and absolutely loves it, but I thought an LJ might be nice. It would have to be an automatic, and would remain stock-ish for the sake of simplicity (famous last words, I know). As for me, I too have asked myself many of the same questions brought up here. Are aftermarket lockers better than the stock Rubi lockers? Is there a discernible difference in using one as a DD over a non-Rubicon? All that stuff. I'll be watching this thread closely... :icon_popcorn:

Your not trying to start an XJ vs LJ debate, are you. : ) Daily driver = XJ for the win.

 

[Squatch]

Your not trying to start an XJ vs LJ debate, are you. : ) Daily driver = XJ for the win.

LOL Not at all. My wife just really looks at the Wranglers as a "real Jeep". In fact, she doesn't even want a hard top (something I think she'd regret, personally). It's not like we'd get rid of her XJ, either. She loves that thing. But sometimes when you want something, the best way is to buy one for the wife. That way you can get one into the family, and just kind of move forward from there!

 

[Starrs]

LOL Not at all. My wife just really looks at the Wranglers as a "real Jeep". In fact, she doesn't even want a hard top (something I think she'd regret, personally). It's not like we'd get rid of her XJ, either. She loves that thing. But sometimes when you want something, the best way is to buy one for the wife. That way you can get one into the family, and just kind of move forward from there!

Have you ever posted a pic of the 2 door Xj?? Love to see it!

 

[Chris]

Just because someone isn't a southern redneck doesn't mean they are mall crawlers lol. Thats the beauty of Jeeps, there is one for everyone. A southern redneck might be out romping in the mud in a cheap TJ while a lawyer from LA could be out in Moab with a high dollar LJR.

And truth be told, I think I might prefer the rocks and desert over the mud.

 

[Squatch]

Have you ever posted a pic of the 2 door Xj?? Love to see it!

I have, somewhere on this forum. I think it was a small pic from a flip phone, however. LOL I should take a better pic with the better phone, I guess. She's currently not running the Canyons on it, but some steel wheels. Looked much sharper with the Canyons. They'll be going back on when it's time for some new tires, again.

 

[jodomcfrodo]

And truth be told, I think I might prefer the rocks and desert over the mud.

I used to like mud more than rocks. Now I can't stay far enough away from mud. Mud just breaks things and really isn't that fun to me. It is great if you want to impress some people. Terrible for everything else.

 

[CodaMan]

Not at all, the newest a TJ could be is 11 years old correct? I hear they bring in the low to mid $20s out there, aint no southern redneck gonna give that for a 11 year old Jeep even if its a LJ Rubi. I shit you not!

Why does that make them "mall crawlers"? West coast Jeeps seem to be better kept, garaged and most of all, rust free. All that adds a premium to the resale value. Just remember, in another 10 years almost all the TJs on the market will come from the West coast.

 

[Chris]

I used to like mud more than rocks. Now I can't stay far enough away from mud. Mud just breaks things and really isn't that fun to me. It is great if you want to impress some people. Terrible for everything else.

I agree with you on that. In addition to that, it’s als messy as hell and takes some serious cleaning to get out of all the tight spots.

 

[jjvw]

I don't like mud either.

 

[Mike_H]

I try to stay out of the mud, as much as I can...but living where I do, where the water table is SO high, its tough. There is mud everywhere! Sometimes I don't have a choice but to plunge in and let 'er rip!

 

[AndyG]

Not at all, the newest a TJ could be is 11 years old correct? I hear they bring in the low to mid $20s out there, aint no southern redneck gonna give that for a 11 year old Jeep even if its a LJ Rubi. I shit you not!

Greetings from Alabama .

I just laid down 21,000 thousand dollars and change for an 03 Rubicon with 20,500 miles , and grinned all the way home .

 

[TNHEADDUCK]

Greetings from Alabama .

I just laid down 21,000 thousand dollars and change for an 03 Rubicon with 20,500 miles , and grinned all the way home .

Cool brother , If your liking it I'm loving it. I've got an unmolested 2004 LJ with 52000 on the clock that could be bought for that or my 2003 TJ that has 51000 on it with a bunch of add-ons that could be bought for lets say $18000 if you got any buddies with some loose cash laying around!

 

[TNHEADDUCK]

Why does that make them "mall crawlers"? West coast Jeeps seem to be better kept, garaged and most of all, rust free. All that adds a premium to the resale value. Just remember, in another 10 years almost all the TJs on the market will come from the West coast.

Maybe I should have used the term Flat Billers, would that have been more appropriate?

 

[AndyG]

I wanted low miles and solid condition , and the lowest mileage , best one I could fine was a Rubicon . Ultimately , it probably cost me some for that sticker on the hood and all that goes with it , but it makes a Jeep more valuable and sellable, so in the end it shouldn't cost if you get what you pay back .

Question is , is it more valuable off road ? It is if you don't have a Jeep set up similar .

A lot of you guys can pretty much create anything with these vehicles, that's part of a TJ's beauty , I think in the end , you pay either way if you look at build costs .

 

[TNHEADDUCK]

So I guess the answer to the question is yes to some it is if you don’t plan on any exstensive mods to the drivetrain and you really enjoy the added creature comforts the Rubicon brings while doing some somewhat serious off-roading mainly in the mid and left cost part of the nation, in the mid south where I’m from you usually have to go through mud to get to the rocks and they are usually pretty deep holes where the extremely built buggy’s and other various extremely built rigs have gone before you to get there. 33 inch tires just aren’t going to do it so we have to change out the Dana 44s to run the bigger or sticky type tires and add various other types of axles. I️ don’t use either one of my TJs for off roading for this reason, so I guess you could call me a road warrior/mallcrawler when I️ drive them. I️ either use my RZR or my tube buggy when I Offroad.

 

[jjvw]

... and you really enjoy the added creature comforts the Rubicon brings ...

The TJ Rubicon had no added creature comforts, that I'm aware of. It was all drivetrain.

 

[tworley]

And truth be told, I think I might prefer the rocks and desert over the mud.

You and me both. I try to avoid mud as much as possible.

I think its been mentioned (and I agree with the statement), that the real advantage to the rubi is its 241 tcase. I know plenty of people who have replaced their OE lockers because they failed (Ive had a rear fail on me). I think a HPD30 has more advantages than the 44. Those who run larger tires tend to regear anyway so having 4.10s isnt anything special IMO (A new carrier isnt that expensive). I looked for a rubi when I was shopping, but my 97 sport now is just as capable, if not more so, than any rubi on the trail.

 

[Chris]

You and me both. I try to avoid mud as much as possible.

I think its been mentioned (and I agree with the statement), that the real advantage to the rubi is its 241 tcase. I know plenty of people who have replaced their OE lockers because they failed (Ive had a rear fail on me). I think a HPD30 has more advantages than the 44. Those who run larger tires tend to regear anyway so having 4.10s isnt anything special IMO (A new carrier isnt that expensive). I looked for a rubi when I was shopping, but my 97 sport now is just as capable, if not more so, than any rubi on the trail.

The only reason (it it even matters) that I like the Rubicons is the resale value they bring.

But I agree with what you’re saying completely. By the time I am done building mine, the only thing that will really be “Rubicon” about it is the transfer case.

 

[06lj]

I agree with @tworley. The HPD30 is in most cases a better axle and can be had for a lot less. The only time I can think of that the larger R&P of the Rubi Dana 44 would be better is if your style of wheeling has you dropping the diff on to rocks. Then Dana 44 would stand up to the impacts better than any Dana 30. Of course if you are on those trails than you are probably beyond the capabilities of either axle. IMO, I think the decision come down to if someone has the disposable money. If they do, great, there are very few reasons not to get the Rubi. If they are considering resale then definitely don't but it. There is nothing less fun on a trail than a Jeep your afraid to damage. LOL! For the more budget concious, a regular TJ is still more capable than most drivers realize.